Many people who identify as Christian have become indifferent to the immorality, filth, violence, sacrilege, and wickedness that is pervasive all around us. But there are others who weep and sigh. They cry out to God Day and night.

“He said to him, ‘Walk through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of all who weep and sigh because of the detestable sins being committed in their city” (Ezekiel 9:4 NLT).

Marked and Set Apart!       

Something amazing happened to Ezekiel one day in mid-September while he was sitting in his house in Babylon with some of the leaders of Judah (Ezekiel 8). A glowing figure representing the Shekinah, the glory of God, lifted him by his hair and took him to a place somewhere between earth and heaven and gave him a panoramic view of Jerusalem. He saw what God sees all the time, a plethora of detestable sins being committed by everyone from the leaders on down! At every turn, the abominations were greater and more wicked.

In the next chapter God commanded six men (angels) to destroy the wicked. But first, one of the angels was instructed to mark the forehead of the godly people, the ones who were praying, crying out and weeping about the evil that was being done in the city. Similarly, in Revelation 7, four angels stand at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of destruction. They are instructed to wait until the seal of God has been placed on the foreheads of His servants.

Wickedness like Ezekiel saw in Jerusalem is all around us now, and it just might be that the winds of destruction are raging and ready to wreak havoc upon us. But thank God there are some righteous people in the land who have been marked and set apart! They are praying and crying out to God, day and night while the indifferent are often partying with the wicked! The world scorns and laughs at us and say our praying is futile and worthless. But the prayers and supplication of the righteous are all that is holding back the wrath of God on the children of disobedience.

So let us not grow weary. Weep, sigh, pray. You have been marked and set apart!

Focus Quote: “Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches; pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your young children.”                    

                                                  –Lamentations 2:19 (NKJV)

Please click the link below to see how to obtain a copy of my book, Standing on the Promises: Defeating Fear and Breaking Barriers

 altonesumner.com – an inspiring motivational ministry.

Please continue to join us at 5:14 p.m. each day as we pause to pray.